Controlling switch



May .5, 1925. 1,536,999

F. 2. BARRYUNDIA C ONTROLLI NG SWI TCH Filed April 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Shet 1 ZOkE/LLA BAEEUNDIA.

A TTORNEYS WITNESSES 11v l/EN 70B Ease/ca ZOflE/LLABARQUND/A- A TTOHN E Y 8 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. Z. BARRUNDIA CONTROLLING SWITCH Flled Aprll 25, 1924 May 5, 1925.

WITNESS s Patented May 5, 1 925.

FEDERICO ZORBILLA BARRUNDIA, OF GUANAJUAIO, MEXICO.

CONTROLLING SWITCH.

' Application filed April 25, 1924;. SerialNo. 708,996.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, Fnnnnroo ZonRIL A BARRUNDIA, acitizen of Mexico, anda resident of Guanajuato, Mexico, have invented a new and Improved Controlling Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has relation to electric controlling switches which are particularly designed for use in connection with moving electric display or advertising signs, the

same being in .the nature ofan improve ment' over the controlling switch set-forth in my co-pending application ,Serial No. 659,298. I I a In moving electric display or advertising signs with which the present controlling switch is designed for use, a pair: of reels or drums are provided' to which the opposite ends of a perforated tape orcstrip are at tached, to be alternately wound from one reelto the other and with the intermediate portion of the tape passing between state tionary and movable contact elements'for producing words and sentences on a' bank of' lamps connected with sand contact elements;

In the switch mechanism as set forth in the, co pendingapplication above referred to, certain objectionable features have become apparent as follows: First, variations in I the length of -the tape or; strip required an adjustment in the controlling mechanismto compensate for the same due to the fact that the reversing means depended entirely upon the diameter of. the convolutions of the strip upon one of the reelsor drums; second, no means wereprovided to compensate for the variation inthe diameter of the convolutions of the strip wound upon the drum whereby to maintain the movement of the tape or strip at a. uniform speed throughout is'inovement; third, the absence of a means for positively locking the movable switch arms ln'engagement with their several contacts until the precise moment at which they should be released for a change of movement prevented the positive and;

l from one drum or reel to the other. Where It is, therefore, an object of the present. invention to overcome the above recited ob-'. jectionsi and disadvantages, by first 'pr0vi'd-,

practicalworking of. the device.

ing a controlling. switch mechanism in which the change of direction of movement of the tape is actuated by the amount of tapewhich is unwound from each drum or reel so that the device will effectually operate irrespective of the length offthe tape used without the necessity of adjustment or interchanging of parts; second, by the pro.- vislon of means for reducing the speed, 0f

the driving element coincident with the increase in the diameter of the c onvolutions of the tape-wound upon the drum or reelupon which it is being wound; and third, by providing locking means for retaining the switch armsin engagement with'their various contacts until immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape from the reel or drum from which it isbeing unwound.

- lVith'the above recited and other objects in view, the invcntion'resides in the novel construction set forth in the followlng spe'-' cilication, particularly pointed. out in the appended claims and illustrated in the ac companying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the full extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claims are expressed.

In the draw1ngs I Figure 1 1s a s1de VlGW'Of a cont-rolhng switch mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the same employed in connection with a moving elec I tric display sign controlling means.

i.g.-2 is afragmentary detail enlarged side view of the controlling switch mechanism illustrating the same shifted for driving in a reverse direction to the position in which it is 1llustrated m Flg. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view with partsin section illustrating the reversible clutch mechanism."

Fig f is a diagrammatic view of the controlling switch circuits.

I Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 and 11 designaterespectively a pair. of drums or reels mounted for rotation and to which the opposite ends of a flexible tape or strip 12 are attached for alternately winding the slaclzfof the tape the tape is principally used in thecapacity as a means for-controlling the circuits to a one direction only and thus in the present instance during its movement from the drum or reel 10 to the drum or reel 11. The driving element consists of an electric motor 1?) which is operatively connected through any suitable reducing mechanism l t to a drive pulley 15, which pulley in turn is operatively connected by a belt 16 with a sheave 1'? having an intcriorly threaded hub l8 engaging the right hand threaded portion 19 of a hollow shaft 20. The drum or reel 11 is loosel mounted on a shaft 21 which exially through the hollow shaft. A second shea 'e or pulley 22 is loosely mounted on the hollow shaft for rotation and maintained against axial movement by a collar 211 The sheave or pulley is in turn opcrativel v connected by a belt 24: with a lOEEYO or pulley secured to rotary shaft '3 to which the drum or reel 10 is secured T01 rotation. The confronting side faces of the sheaves 1'? and 22 are provided with interengagcablc clutch elements 27 and 2S and the sheave or pulley 16 and reel 11 are proride-fl on their confronting side faces with interengageable clutch elements 29 and 30. The motor 13 is designed to drive the drive pulley 15 in opposite directions by a change in the polarity of the same and it thus fol lows that clockwise movement imparted to the sheave 17 will cause the same to move axially toward the drum or reel 11 until the clutch element 29 engages the clutch ele ment just as the interiorly threaded hub 18 is disengaged from the threaded portion ltiof the hollow shaft 20. This couples the reel or drum 11 with the driving motor so that the said reel winds the tape thereon and from the reel or drum 10. The chang ingof the polarity of the motor 13 to drive the same in an opposite direction will effect a counter clockwise driving of the sheave 17, the interior-1y threaded hub of which again engages the extcriorly threaded portion 19 of the hollow shaft 20 and axially moves said sheave toward the sheave or pulley 22, thereby uncoupling the sheave 17 from the drum l1 and coupling said sheave 17 with the sheave or pulley 22 through the interengageable clutch elements 27 and 28. This operatively connects the drum or reel 10 with the motor for vinding the tape 12 upon the drum 10 and unwinding the same from the drum 11.

The mechanism for automatically changing the direction of movement of the tape by changing the polarity of the motor consists of a switch which includes switch arms 536 and 37, the former being capable of movement into engagement respectively with the spaced contact elements 39 and 41:0, the switch arm 36 being capable of movement respectively into engagement with the contacts -21 and and the latter switch arm 37 being respectively capable of movement into engagement with the spaced contacts 43 and a l. The said switch arms 35, 36 and 37 are connected to each other for simultaneous movement and one of the said switch arms is provided with a keeper lug 41:5 when the switch arms 35, 36 and ST are engaged with their lower contacts 39, 4-1 and 3. A second latch 18 is normally moved by a spring 49 to engage the keeper lug lo where by to lock the switch arms 36 and 37 into engagement with their contacts 40, 1-2 and l t. A lever 50 which is fulcrumed as at 51 is provided with an angular extremity which is connected by a contractile spring 58 with one of the switch arms. The said lever is provided at its opposite end with a roller 54, which roller bears upon the convolutions oi? the tape wound upon the drum or reel 11. As the convolutions are wound and unwound from the drum or reel 11 it is of course obvious that the lever 50 is swung on its fulcrum, whereby the angular extremity which is connected by the contractile spring 53 with one of the switch arms is moved in opposite directions to (:1- crt a pulling tension for moving the switch arms from engagement with one of their contacts to engagement with the other of their contacts or vice versa. In order to actuate the latch 46 to release the same from looking engagement with the lug when engaged therewith, the said latch is provided with a pin which is designed to be engaged by a portion of the lever immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape or strip 12 from the reel or drum 11. At this time the extremity 52 of the lever which has been moved toward the contacts L0, 42 and a l will have produced a sufficient tension on the contractile spring 53 which is connected with one of the switch arms to effect the moving of said arms from out of engagement with their contacts 39, ll and 43 to engagement with the contacts 40, and 44. lVhen the arms are engaged with the latter contacts the latch 18 will engage with the keeper lug l5 to retain the same in this position whereby the polarity of the motor is changed for driving the tape in the opposite direction, namely, from the drum or reel 10 to the drum or reel 11. The winding of the tape upon the drum or reel 11 swings the lever 50 in the opposite direction so that its terminal (2 moves toward the contacts 39, 41 and to exert a pulling tension on the switch arms toward said contacts. In order to provide means for releasing the latch 4:8,, a second lever 56 is fulcrumed as at 57 and is provided with a weighted roller 58 at one end which cooperates with the periphery of the convo1utious of the tape wound upon the drum or reellt). The free end 59 of the lever 56 is designed to engage with a trip member (30 which is fulcrumed as at ti] and which lutions in the length of the tape.

trip member engages with the free end of the latch 48; whereby said latch is released from engagement with the keeper lug 45 immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape convo-lutions from thedrunrlO. It will thus be seen under this arrangementthat the releasing of the latches-is accomplished in each instance by the minimum amount of tape convolutions upon'the drums and 11, thus rendering the controlling mechanism operable irrespective of convo- As heretofore explained the tape when used in connection with a moving electric display sign operates said sign only'when movingin a direction from the; reel 10 to the reel 11 and it, therefore, follows that as the amount of convolutions being wound on the reel 11increases with the reel traveling at the same rate of, speed, the speed of the tape will increase or acceleratefunless means is provided to compensate for the increase in the rate of speed. Inorderto provide means for compensating for said increase and to maintain the movement at a substantially uniform rate of speed, a rheostat 62 is provided, the contact'members 63 of which are engaged by amovable contact member 64 carried by the lever 50. It thus follows thatas the amount of tape fed onto the reel 11 increases the rheostat functions to decrease the speed of the driving motor proportionately whereby the tape is fed at it will be noted that the ratio of the diameter of the sheave 25 with respect to the sheaves 17 and22 is such as to-"cause a more rapid drivingofthe tape in a direction from the reel 11 to the reel. 10. I

As illustrated i'n'the wiring diagram of Fig. 4, 65 is a source of supply from one pole of which conductor wires 66 and67 lead respectively to andare connected with the switch arms 35 and 36 and from the opposite pole of which conductor wires-63 and 69 lead respectively to theswitch arm 37 and to a bank of lamps O for themoving sign and a bank of lamps 71 for a stationary sign. From the stationary sign the conductor wire 72leadsto the contact 39.

From the bank of lamps conductor wires 73 lead to the movable contacts B. From the stationary contact plateA a-conductor wire 74 leads to the contact-40; From the contacts 41 and 44 conductor wires 75and 7 6 lead to a common conductor wire 77 to,

one of the poles orbrushes 7 8 ofthe motor 13. From the contacts 42 and 43 conduccompleted from tor wires79 and 80 lead to a common conductor wire 81connected with the opposite pole or brush 82 of the motor 13.

.In use andoperation, assuming the tape 1 is moving from the reel 10 onto the reel 11, it will be observed that the current is flowing from one pole of the source of supply 65through the conductor 67, through the switch arm 36, the contact42, conductor 79, conductor 81,the pole or brush 82, the motor 13, theopposite pole or brush 78, the conductor 77, the conductor 76, the contact 74, the switch arm 37,-the conductor 68 and thence back to the opposite pole of the'source ofsupply. At the same time a circuit is the source of supply through the conductor 66, switch arm 35, contact 40," conductor 74, contact plate A, through the movable contacts B registering with the openings in the tape 12, through the conductor 73, the lamps of the bank 7 0, the conductor 69 and thence to the source of supply 65. As the convolutions of the tape wind upon the reel 11, the weighted roller 54 swings the lever 50 to cause its extremity 52 connected with one of the switch arms to gradually move in a direction toward the contacts 39, 41 and 43. In view of the fact that the latch 48 engaging with the keeper lug 45 under the action of its spring 49 retains the switch arms infengagement with the contacts 40, 42 and 44, the contractile spring 53 can effect no movement of the switch arms until the latch 48 isreleased from the keeper, lug 45. i This releasing operation is only accomplished when the amount of the tape 12 on the drum or .reel 10 is almost completely unwound therefrom, at which time the weighted roller 58 will effect a swinging of the lever 56 until its free end 59 operates the trip 60, which in turn swings the late/1148 against its spring 49 to release position. At this time the contractile spring will, due to the movement of the terminal 52 of the lever 50, have exerted a sullicientpulling tension to snap the switch arms 35, 36 and 37 into engagement with the contacts 39, 41 and 43. \Vhen said switch arms are engaged conductor 80, contact 43, switch arm 37, 0011- ductor 68 to the opposite-pole of the-source of supply 65. At the same time the switch arm 35 being disengaged from the contact 40 and/engaged with the contact .39 will break the circuit to the contact plate A and establisha circuit from the source of supply lllfl lift) 65, througlrthe conductor 66, switch arm; a

35, contact 39, conductor 72, the stationary sign lamps 71, conductor 69 and back to the source of supply. The stationary sign lamps 71 will thus be energized to produce a stationary display while the tape is being rewound from the reel 11 onto the reel 10. As the convolutions of the tape on the reel 11 decrease, it is obvious that the weighted roller 5% carried by the lever 50 will move the extremity 52 of the lever 50 toward the contacts it), 4-2 and let thereby exerting a pulling tension on the switch arms toward said contact. Immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape from the reel 11, the lever 50 will engage the pin 55 of the latch l6 and will swing the latch to a release position against the action of the spring 47, thus disengaging the latch from the keeper lug l5 and permitting a pulling tension of the spring 53 to snap the switch arms 35, 36 and 37 into engagement with the contacts 4-0, 42 and ll. This will reverse the polarity of the motor 13, reestablish the circuit to the lamps 70 of the moving sign and break the circuit to the lamps 71 of the stationary sign. As the increasing convolutions ot' the tape are wound on the drum 11 the lever 50 is swung on its ttulcruin 51. The rheostat functions to compensate for the increase speed of movement of the tape by successively decreasing the speed of the motor, thus maintaining the speed of movement of the tape at a subs antially uniform rate.

I claim:

1. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels, a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends for alternate winding of the same from one to theother and reversible driving mechanism, of means operable by the amount of tape left on that one of the reels :ltrom which the same is being unwound, for reversing the driving mechanism.

2. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels, a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding of the same from one to the other and a reversible driving mechanism including an electric motor, of a con trolling switch tor changing the polarity of the motor comprising a movable switch element, means operable by the amount of tape wound upon one of the drums for etfecting a pulling tension on said movable switch element to move the same in opposite directions, locking means for retaining said movable switch element in its shifted positions, and means operable by the amount of tape remaining on the reel from which the same is being unwound for releasing the locking means to permit the shitting of the movable switch element to its changed position.

3. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels, a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding of the same from one to the other and a reversible driving mechanism including an electric motor, ot a controlling switch for changing the polarity of the motor comprising a movable switch element, means operable by the amount of tape wound upon one of the drums for etfecting a pulling tension on. said movable switch element to move the same in opposite directions, locking means for retaining said movable switch element in its shifted positions, means operable by the amount oi. tape remaining on the reel from which the same is being unwound for releasing the locking means to permit the shifting of the movable switch element to its changed position, and means for maintaining the movement of the tape in one direction at a uniform rate of speed to compensate for the increase of the diameter of the convolutions ot' the tape being wound upon said reel.

4. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels and a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding "from one reel to the other, of mechanism for autonmtically e'lfooting the same, comprising a reversible driving element, means for reversing the direction of movement of the driving element, and means for maintaining the movement of the tape at a substantially uniform rate o'l speed during its passage from one reel to the other.

5. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels and a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding from one reel to the other, of mechanism for automatically effecting the same, comprising an electric motor, a switch for changing the po larity of said motor to drive the same in opposite directions, said switch including movable contact members, a pair of stationary contact members for each movable member, means for locking the movable members respectively in engagement with the stationary contact members, means engaging the convolutions of the tape wound upon one of the reels for exerting a pulling tension on the movable contact members whereby to move the same in opposite direc tions for changing the polarity of the motor, said tape engaging means being operable immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape from the said reel to release one of the locking means of the movable contact members, and a second means engaging the convolutions of the tape on the other reel immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape from said reel to release the other of said locking means for the movable contact members.

6. The combination with an apparatus including a pair of reels and a tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding from one reel to the tor, a switch for changing the polarity of said motor to drive the same in opposite directions, said switch including movable contact members, a pair of stationary contact members for each movable member, means for: locking the movable. members respectively in engagement with the stationary contact members, means engaging the convolutions ot the tapewound upon one of the reels for exciting a pulling tension on the movable contact members whereby to move the same in opposite'directions for changing the polarity of the motor, said tape engaging me ans being operable immediately prior to the con'iplete unwinding of the tape from the saidreel to release one of the locking means of the movable contact members, a second means engaging the convolutions of the tape on the other reel immediately prior to the complete unwinding of the tape from said reel to release the other of said locking means for the movable contact members, and

means for maintaining the movement of the tape in one directionat a uniform rate of' speed to compensate for the increase of the diameter of the convolutions of the tape which is being wound upon said reel.

7. Thecombination with an apparatus including a pair of reels anda tape or strip connected at its opposite ends to said reels for alternate winding from one reel to the other, of mechanism for automatically effecting the same, comprising an electric motor, a switch for changingtlie polarity of said motor to drive the same in opposite directions, said switch including movable contact i members, a pair of stationary contact members for each movable member, means-for locking the movable members respectively in engagement with the stationary contact members, means engaging the convolutions of the tape wound upon one of the reels'for exerting a pulling tension on the movable contact members whereby to move the same in opposite directions for changing the polarity of the motor, said tape engaging means being operable-immediately prior to c the complete unwinding of the tape from the said reel to release one of the locking means ofthe movable contact members, a second means engaging the convolutions of the tape on the other reel innnediatelyprior to the complete unwinding of the tape from said reel to release the other of said locking meanstor the movable contact members, and means for maintaining the movement of the tape in. one direction at a uniform rate of speed to compensate for the increase of the diameter of the convolutions of thetape latter means consisting of a rheostat operatively connected with the motor and operable by the firstmentioned tape engaging means.

8. The combination with a pair of reels and a tape secured at its opposite ends thereto and adapted to be alternately wound from one reel to the other, of an automatic mechanism for changing the direction of movement of said tape, comprising an electric motor, a switch for changing the polarity of said motor to drive the same in opposite directionsysaid switch including a pivoted switch element, spaced contacts with which the same is respectively engageable, means for locking the switch element in engaged position with the contacts, means engaging the convolutions of the tape wound upon one of the reels for exerting a pulling tension upon the switch element to effect its disengagementc from the contact with which it is engaged and for effecting the movement of the same toward the opposite contact member, said tape engaging means adapted to effect the release of the locking means for the switch element immediately prior to said. tape engaging "means reaching the limit of its movement in one direction, and means engaging the convolutions the tape wound upon the other reel for effecting the release of the locking means for the movable switch element immediately prior to said latter means reaching the limit of .its movement in one direction by the unwinding of the tape from its reel.

' FEDERICO ZORRILLA BARRUNDIA.

which is being wound upon said reel, said i 

